Useful Costa Rica Information

If someone happens to find my blog through google or searching the internet I figure I should have at least one post with useful information on traveling or living in Costa Rica. And if any of my relatives or someone reading the blog want some travel information: here you go.

Beaches
If you are looking for the most beautiful beaches I would recommend Manuel Antonio or Guanacaste. I have not been to the beaches in Guanacaste, but I have heard they are amazing. I should really get out there before I leave. Manuel Antonio has beautiful beaches, the most visited national park in Costa Rica, and good restaurants and nightlife. It is about a 4 hour ride from San Jose. There are public buses that go there for very cheap around $6. You can hitch a ride with some other tourists in a small minivan for about $10 a person. The vans usually fit 9 or 10 people. Or you can arrange your own private taxi (I have never done this, but I assume it would be pretty expensive, unless you could get a travel package online).
If you are a partier, you can try Jaco Beach. It has a lot of cheap hostels on the beach and some crazy nightlife, although you will be asked if you want drugs by just about every person walking on the street. The water is also very contaminated so if you go swimming you will get very sick. The beach is also kind of crummy, but it is still a popular destination for surfing and clubbing. If you want an upscale family vacation you can head to the Marriot Los Suenos in Jaco. It has a huge pool where you don't have to worry about contaminated water, a golf course, casino, 2 restaurants, gym and a spa. The public bus to Jaco is about $3 and takes a little over two hours.
There are many other great beaches that I have not got the chance to visit, but I have heard good things about Playa Limon (near Panama) as well.

Other tourist destinations
Arenal- Arenal is popular for it's volcano and national park. There are also hot springs and many zip lines or canopy tours.
Pacific coast- Many people come to Costa Rica for the deep sea fishing on the Pacific Coast near Panama.
Cruises, tours, rafting and scuba diving are also very popular throughout the country.

Living in CR
A few tips if you plan on retiring or want to work in Costa Rica.
Learn some Spanish- It is nice to be able to have a conversation and human interaction, even if communication is difficult. The Ticos really appreciate that you are learning their language and most will try and help you out.
Yes, that price is correct- Apartments in Costa Rica are normally about 1/3 the price of what a similar apartment in the US would run. i.e. (i.e. $900 studio in the US will probably be around 300 here in the Central Valley Area). However, food, gas, and electronics are much more expensive in Costa Rica. All electronics are imported so they are outragously priced. If you can get a tv from the states here than do it, because the smallest tvs here are at least $150. Food is also a little more expensive and gas prices are around $6 a gallon. Most Americans living here take the buses though. Buses go everywhere and are reasonably priced as well, which is why most Ticos take buses also.
Cost of living- So if you rent a 300 dollar a month apartment, spend about 50 bucks a month on transportation, (about average) 70 dollars on food, 80 on entertainment and other expenses, you can live pretty comfortably on $500 a month.

Teaching
I have been teaching English for 6 months here so I will try and impart a little knowledge.
Everyone wants to live in the beautiful part of the country and teach English, but it is almost impossible to do. Almost all the teaching jobs are in the Central Valley, San Jose area. Most of the jobs are teaching English to groups in big companies. The good news is that it is pretty easy to find a teaching job without any previous experience. I was hired by the company one day after I interviewed because I was a native speaker of English. Most jobs pay between 5 and 8 dollars per hour. The company I work for pays 7.50 an hour. There are only a few companies that will pay up to 10 or more an hour, but those require a CELTA or TEFL certificate and 2 years of experience. Most companies will not get you a work visa, so you are technically working illegally, although I have never heard of anyone who has gotten in trouble for this. You will have to leave the country every 3 months because of the tourist visa. One of my fellow employees has done 5 border runs, but said there is never any questioning at the borders, because in the end they really want the tourists money.

I know that was a pretty brief look, but if you have any questions or comments, leave me a message.